The present invention relates to a fluid resonator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fluid resonator using one or more cylindrical elements mounted parallel to the direction of the fluid flow stream.
The present invention is intended to be used with all types of fluids, including all types of gases, including air, and all types of fluids, including water and mixtures of water and steam.
The prior art in this area, which is known to the inventor herein, primarily relates to the technology of whistles and sirens and ultrasonic transducers as described in a book entitled Ultrasonic Technology by Richard G. Goldman, Published by Reinhold Publishing Corp. in 1962. In addition, much work has been done in the field of fluid amplifiers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,410--Richards discloses a fluid amplifier mounted in a pipe using cylindrical members. However, the Richards patent does not disclose a fluid resonator, but is directed to a fluid amplifier in which a power jet is directed into one of two or more distinct outlets. The Richards patent is directed to a device in which control is effected through pressure of a secondary fluid rather than through the momentumexchange principle.
One of the more important uses of the present invention is in the secondary recovery of oil from oil formations. When an oil well is originally drilled, a certain amount of oil will usually flow out of the bore hole under its own pressure. When the oil stops flowing out of the oil well under its own pressure, usually about 40-60% of the original oil remains in place. At this point, it is necessary to use some type of a secondary recovery process to get the oil out of the ground.
The present invention is particularly useful in the secondary recovery of oil. The present invention may be mounted within the casing of an oil well bore hole. A fluid medium of steam, hot water, water, or a combination of steam and hot water may be forced under pressure down through the bore hole. The fluid medium may preferably be heated, such as hot water or steam, but any suitable fluid medium such as cold water may be used. Heating of the fluid medium tends to reduce the viscosity of the oil. The present invention provides a vibration effect in the fluid medium. This vibration effect or vibratory motion in the fluid medium tends to cause the oil within the formations, such as sand stone, to be freed and emulsified in the fluid medium. The emulsification is then caused, by the continual forcing of the fluid medium, such as hot water and steam, into the bore hole, to flow up through other bore holes. Vibratory motions of high intensity may be set up in the fluid medium, that is, the hot water and steam, by using concentric cylindrical elements and by cascading cylindrical element groups. This structure will result in an efficient secondary recovery of oil.
In addition, the present invention has numerous other uses. The present invention may be used in any industrial process where it is necessary or desirable to create emulsions. For example, it is necessary to create emulsions in the manufacture of salad dressing. The present invention may also be used to create dispersions. The present invention may find uses in many wide and varied fields including use in fog dispersion and use in causing condensation in clouds resulting in rain. These, of course, would use the fluid medium of air. The present invention may also be used in the construction industry to enable the more efficient flowing of concrete into forms. The present invention may be used in any area where it is desirable to create vibratory waves in a fluid.